Maple Tree (Acer truncatum) variety named &#39;Fire Dragon&#39;

ABSTRACT

A novel variety of the maple tree  Acer truncatum  was discovered in North Texas. It has a distinct lobular orbicular leaf shape, attributed to large lateral marginal lobes. It exhibits vibrant fall colors, including a distinctive cardinal or currant red and develops leaf margins tinged with Chinese yellow, giving the leaves the appearance of being afire. The variety known as ‘Fire Dragon’ also is hardy in extreme heat and wind conditions.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES AND THE VARIETY DENOMINATION OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Acer truncatum ‘Fire Dragon’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a new and distinct variety of decorative maple tree known generally by the scientific name Acer truncatum. I discovered it growing in a cultivated area in my nursery in Fort Worth, Tex., in 1999. I have given it the name ‘Fire Dragon’ because of its noticeable and distinctive spring, summer and particularly fall foliage.

No federally sponsored research or development was involved in this invention.

2. Background

Maple trees provide desirable shade from spring to fall and typically shed their leaves for winter, thereby providing useful surrounding vegetation where summer sunlight may be excessive and winter sunshine is desirable. Displaying characteristically striking colors, maple trees are very ornamental and provide pleasing and varying visual effects throughout their foliage period.

The Acer truncatum maple tree, commonly called “Shantung” maple, is a newly introduced tree in the United States which does exceptionally well in the Midwest in hot climates and heavily alkaline soils. Shantung maples generally are characterized by having truncated base lobes near the leaf petiole and by having a prominent central lobe, giving the leaf a distinctly ovate-truncate shape. Fall foliage appears yellow, with occasional areas of lesser reds or orange mixed with yellow, though the latter seldom is repeated in subsequent years.

The instant novel variety of maple tree now discovered has substantially orbicular-lobular leaves, adapts well to wind and drought conditions, and consistently exhibits a fiery-red leaf, sometimes with yellow edges, giving the fall foliage a uniquely emblazoned appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The novel cultivar of the present invention, named Acer truncatum ‘Fire Dragon,’ is believed to be a variant of Acer truncatum but distinguished by increased heat tolerance, a characteristic leaf shape and striking coloration variations. Specifically:

(a) its leaves have non-truncated base lobes and lobular margins, its side lobes being nearly as large as its central lobe, giving the leaf a distinctive orbicular profile;

(b) its fall colors exhibit a consistent, cardinal, occasionally currant, red color with Chinese yellow tips and edges; and

(c) it is very tolerant to high wind and drought conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photographic view of a mature original tree in summer.

FIG. 2 is a photographic view of the trunk of the mature original tree of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a photographic close-up view of the major branches of the mature original tree of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4A is a photographic close-up of one of the summer color variations (rose madder) of the mature original tree of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4B is a photographic view of a plurality of young, grafted Fire Dragon trees exhibiting late spring growth characteristic of the mature original tree of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5A is a photographic close-up view of another of the summer color variations (garnet brown) of the mature original tree of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5B is a photographic close up of a new spring growth color variation (burnt orange) of the mature original tree of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a photographic view of summer foliage on hardened branches from the mature original tree of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a photographic view of a single leaf of the mature original tree of FIG. 1 exhibiting the cardinal red fall coloration.

FIG. 8 is a photographic close-up view of a branch of the mature original tree of FIG. 1 exhibiting the cardinal red fall coloration.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are distant and close-up, respectively, photographic views of a branch of the mature original tree of FIG. 1 exhibiting leaves having a distinctive currant red coloration with fiery (Chinese yellow) margins.

FIG. 10 depicts an example of the newly discovered variety of maple tree in winter, defoliated and with snow cover enhancing its branch structure.

FIG. 11 depicts the mature original tree of FIG. 1 in winter time without foliage, showing branch structure.

FIG. 12 depicts an example branch showing bud patterns of the mature original tree of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The instant variety of maple tree was discovered as a seedling growing among other maple trees of the Acer truncatum species at my nursery in Fort Worth, Tex., in 1999. It was successfully asexually reproduced at said nursery by grafting onto Acer truncatum seedlings and by semi-hardwood cuttings. The novel characteristics are reliably transmitted to succeeding generations.

With reference to the six (6 y.o.) year old tree depicted in the figures, the following specific description of the instant maple variety details its unique characteristics. Color terminology refers to The 1941 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

-   Origin: A tree of unknown origin, Fire Dragon is similar to other     Acer truncatum varieties except for spring, summer and fall leaf     coloration, leaf shape and a notable tolerance for wind and drought     conditions. In particular, the spring leaf coloration exhibits burnt     orange (RHS 014/3) overtones rather than the normal reddish-purple     (RHS dahlia purple 931/3) overtones of typical Acer truncatum.     Summer leaf coloration during hot weather prevalent in Texas     exhibits the spring coloration, a rose madder (RHS 23/3) or a darker     tone of gamet brown (RHS 918/3), as opposed to the aforementioned     reddish purple. Fall coloration is a most unique and consistent     exhibit of cardinal red (RHS 822/3), whereas other Acer turncatum     leaves are mostly yellow, with only occasional areas of lesser red     or orange mixed with yellow, and seldom repeated in subsequent     years. Leaf shape matches the Acer truncatum profile by only     approximately one (1%) percent, differing mostly by (a) not having     truncated leaf bases and (b) having lobular margins with side lobes     nearly as large as the central lobe (Acer truncatum has a prominent     central lobe, creating an ovate-truncate shape), giving the leaf a     substantially orbicular shape. -   Classification: Acer truncatum ‘Fire Dragon’. -   Parentage: Unknown; believed to be a seedling variation, mutation or     adaptation of Acer truncatum. -   Shape: Deciduous tree with rounded crown and many vigorous, crowded     stems. See FIG. 1. Caliper size is two and one-half (2½″) inches in     four (4) years, measured eighteen (18″) inches up from ground level. -   Height: Five to six (5-6 m) meters, increasing an average of one to     one and one-half (1-1.5 m/yr) meters per year, slowing with age but     expected to reach twelve to fifteen, and occasionally eighteen     (12-15, 18 m) meters at maturity, as typical of Acer truncatum. See     FIG. 1. -   Spread: Four (4 m) meters, increasing an average of one half to one     (0.5-1.0 m/yr) meters per year, slowing with age but expected to     reach ten to fourteen, and occasionally sixteen (10-14, 16 m) meters     at maturity, as typical of Acer truncatum. See FIG. 1. -   Trunk: Heavily fissured bark with light brown raised areas and dark     brown recessed areas. See FIG. 2. Size increases approximately two     (2 cm.) centimeters per growing season. -   Branches: Current year wood is light gray to brown, glaucous.     Develops purplish-brown overtones in winter. Third year wood is very     hard and dense. Lenticels are sparse, straw-colored and oval. See     FIG. 3. -   Leaves:     -   -   Shape.—Five (5) lobes, somewhat wavy and leathery, five to             eleven, averaging seven, (5-11, 7 cm.) centimeters in             length, usually two (2 cm) less across. Glabrous, with ovate             lobes, lobular margins, acuminate apices, cordate bases and             tufted, veined axils on the underside. See FIGS. 4A-9.         -   Color.—The spring leaf coloration has burnt orange (RHS             014/3) (FIG. 5B) overtones. Summer leaf coloration of new             growth during hot weather prevalent in Texas exhibits the             spring burnt orange (RHS 014/3) (FIG. 5B), rose madder (RHS             23/3) (FIG. 4A) or a darker tone of garnet brown (RHS 918/3)             (FIG. 5A). Hardened growth foliage has a shiny spinach green             (RHS 960) on the leaf top with a slightly lighter tint on             the bottom (RHS 960/2) under good fertilization. See FIG. 6.             Fall coloration is cardinal red (RHS 822/3) (FIGS. 7 and 8),             and during a long, hot fall, a currant red (RHS 821/3),             usually developing a striking Chinese yellow (RHS 606/1)             around the tips and edges. See FIGS. 9A and 9B. -   Petiole: Slender, fern green (RHS 862/3) in summer, from four to     thirteen (average 8) (4-13 cm.) in length, glabrous. Red in the fall     (same color as the leaf). See FIG. 7. Milky sap produced when     broken. -   Winter buds: Terminal buds two to four (2-4 mm.) millimeters in     length, one to two (1-2 mm) in diameter, ovoid, brown in color.     Lateral buds generally similar but smaller See FIG. 12. -   Flowering: Flowering season is spring (early April in Texas), before     or simultaneously with leaves on terminal, forty by forty to sixty     (40×40 −60 mm) millimeter corymbose racemes having unequal, ten to     twenty (10-20 mm.) millimeter length stems. Each 5-merous bloom is     deep saucer-shaped, ten (10 mm) millimeters long and eight (8 mm)     deep, with oblong to ovate petals and supported on one (1 cm)     centimeter pedicels. Straw yellow (RHS 604/1) color. -   Reproductive organs: Imperfect; monoecious; trees first produce     blooms of one gender, then of the other, then of the first again,     often having both at the same time; approximately half of trees     begin with each gender. Blooms have a central, circular, slightly     lobed, straw yellow (RHS 604/1) pistil with an ovary supported on     two divergent stigma arms with short, one (1 mm) styles. Pistil is     surrounded by eight to ten (8-10) one (1 mm) millimeter, glabrous     stamens with numerous oval, two (2 mm) millimeter anthers on five to     six (5-6 mm) millimeter filaments. In male flowers, filaments are     longer, sometimes extending the anthers above the perianth, with a     diminished pistil and vestigial ovary. Female blooms have shorter     filaments wherein the smaller anthers are almost concealed within     the perianth. -   Pollen: Same color as flowers (straw yellow—RHS 604/1). -   Fruit: None observed; expected to be very similar to other Acer     truncatum varieties, having pendulous, yellow-to-reddish,     wide-angled samaras, three (3 cm) centimeters long by one (1 cm)     centimeter wide, with ovoid or obovoid, smooth and flattened nutlets     one and one-half (1.5 cm) centimeters long, one (1 cm) broad and two     to three (2-3 cm) centimeters thick, ripening in the fall (October     in Texas). -   Disease resistance: No known problems. -   Climate: Adapts well to any well-drained soil, even highly alkaline,     clay soils. Very drought tolerant, wind tolerant and hardy to Zone 4     (USDA hardness guidelines). More drought tolerant than other Acer     truncatum varieties, it exhibits a good ability to keep healthy new     growth without wilting under extreme heat conditions. -   Comparison to other Acer truncatum varieties:     -   -   Crown.—Similar rounded crown and expected height and spread.         -   Trunk.—Similar heavily fissured trunk, with light brown             raised areas between dark brown fissures.         -   Flowers.—Similar straw-yellow, identical in size.         -   Reproductive organs.—Similar monoecious imperfect, pollen             same color as blooms.         -   Fruit.—Expected to be similar or identical.         -   Fall color.—Distinctive cardinal red (RHS 822/3) and, during             a long, hot fall, a currant red (RHS 821/3) with Chinese             yellow (RHS 606/1) around the tips and edges, rather than             the normal yellow to orange with occasional red areas of             typical Acer truncatum.         -   Leaf shape and size.—Only slightly polymorphic, the Fire             Dragon maple has very few truncated leaf bases and has             lobulate margins with side lobes nearly as large as the             central lobe (versus Acer truncatum's prominent central lobe             and noticeably greater tendency toward the polymorphic),             giving the leaf a substantially orbicular shape. Size is             similar or slightly smaller. Overall effect is to give the             tree a cleaner look when compared to other varieties.         -   Hardiness.—Even more heat and drought tolerant. Where most             Acer truncatum varieties survive reliably in the extreme             climate conditions, alkaline soils and urban pollution             conditions of North Texas, Fire Dragon seems to thrive in             said conditions, keeping healthy new growth without wilting             even in extreme heat conditions, yet tolerant of ice and             wind storms. 

1. A new and distinct variety of an Acer truncatum maple tree named “Fire Dragon”, as described and illustrated herein. 